Underwater viewing device



July 5, 1955 E. L. KELLY 2,712,139

UNDERWATER VIEWING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1955 5025/ L. Xe Hy INVENTOR.

ATTOR/Vf) United StatesPatent O UNDERWATER VIEWING DEVICE Ernest L. Kelly, Houston, Tex.

Application January 5, 1953, Serial No. 329,627

5 Claims. (Cl. 9-21) This invention relates to an underwater viewing device useful for amusement, recreational, or educational purposes.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a buoyant platform adapted to float on the surface of a water body and having an underwater viewing window provided therein through which underwater scenes may be viewed by a person lying prone on said platform.

Another object is to provide in. a device of the character described, an opening extending through. the platform, said opening being closed adjacent its. lower end by a transparent window, and having an upstanding collar member mounted on the. upper surface ofv the platform surrounding said opening. to support the face of the viewer while serving to exclude water which may splash on or flow over the upper surface of the platform.

Another object. is to provide. in a device of the character described, a transparent window and supporting frame removably insertible in the viewing opening.

A more specific. object is to provide an inflatable buoyant float having a viewing opening therethrough surrounded about its upper end. by a resilient cushioning collar for the face of the viewer and a transparent window and supporting frame removably insertable in said opening.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates several useful embodiments in accordance with this invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an underwater viewing device in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the removable window element of the device of Fig. 1, having a portion thereof broken away for better illustration;

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the device taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a modified embodiment of the device;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the removable window element employed in the modification illustrated in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of still another embodiment in accordance with this invention.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a hollow float body, designated generally by the numeral 10, having upper and lower walls 10a and 10b, constructed of flexible rubberized fabric or the like, which is adapted to be inflated with a gas, such as air, carbon dioxide or the like, through a conventional air valve 11 communicating with the interior of the hollow body to render the latter buoyant so that it will float on the surface of a water body and buoyantly support the weight of one or more persons thereon. Body 10 is preferably constructed to have an elongated, rectangular flat form 2,712,139 Patented July 5,. 1955 on which one or more persons may lie in prone position. A tug bracket 12 is attached to the forward end of body 10 for attachment of a-rope or other means by which the float may be drawn over the surface of the water body if desired.

Near the forward end of the float there is provided an opening or well 13 extending generally vertically from top to bottom of the float, the well being generally rectangular in shape and extending transversely of the float. Well 13 is provided with a peripheral wall 14 which is constructed of flexible rubberized material similar to that employed for float 10, wall 14 having its upper and lower edges sealed with the upper and lower walls 100 and 10b of the float to seal the well from communication with the interior of the float, so as to maintain the buoyancy of the float.

A collar member 15 is mounted on the upper surface of float 10 surrounding the upper end of well 13, the bore of the collar member defining the upper end of the well and the outer wall 16 of the collar member extending substantially above the upper surface of the float to form an embankment around the upper end of the well which will act to prevent entrance into the well of water splashing on or flowing over the upper surface of the float. Collar member 15 may be of hollow construction, its upper end being closed by a relatively broad and flat end wall 17 and having its lower end open and communicating with the interior of the float body. Collar member 15 will usually be. constructed of the same A. flexible material as float 1t) and will ordinarily be made an integral part thereof, so that when the float is inflated, the inflating gas will enter the interior of collar member 15 which will likewise be inflated and form a flexible cushion surrounding the upper end of well 13.

Well 13 is adapted to removably receive a sleeve, designated generally by the numeral 18, and shown in detail particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. Sleeve 18 is composed of side walls 19-19 and end walls 20-20 connected together to form a generally rectangular tubular structure dimensioned to fit snugly within well 13 and having a height somewhat lessthan the length of well I3. Sleeve 18 is constructed of metallic, plastic or other rigid material. End walls 20-20 are provided at their upper ends with outwardly extending lugs or flanges 21-21 which are adapted to be received in registering recesses 22-22 provided in the wall of well 13, in order to lock the sleeve to the wall of well 13 to prevent its dislodgment from the well when in use.

The lower end of sleeve 18 is provided with an internal flange 23 on which is mounted a sheet of a suitably transparent material such as glass or rigid plastic material to form a window 24, the latter being attached to flange 23 or to the walls of sleeve 18 in any suitable and generally known manner to form a fluid-tight seal for the lower end of sleeve 18. The dimensions of sleeve 18 will be made slightly greater than the nominal corresponding dimensions of well 13 and will ordinarily be inserted in well 13 before the float is fully inflated, lugs or flanges 21-21 being inserted in recesses 22-22. Then when the float is fully inflated, the walls of well 13 will be constricted and compressed about the exterior of sleeve 18 so as to seal tightly about the sleeve and prevent upward seepage of water between the sleeve and the wall of the well. Also the compression will cause lugs or flanges 21-21 to be locked tightly in recesses 22-22. The latter are preferably positioned in well 13 at a height above the level of upper wall 10a of the float so that the upper end of sleeve 18 will be well above the level of the water surface on which the float is disposed. By this arrangement, even if seepage of water should occur between sleeve 18 and the wall of well 13, it will only rise to approximately the level of the surrounding water body and thus will not be able to spill over the upper edge of the sleeve 18 into the interior thereof.

13 to prevent interference of such Water with the view of the user. In addition, the flexible, resilient character and the shape of collar 15 will cushion the head and chin of the viewer so that viewing for lengthy periods may be carried on without tiring the viewer.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a slightly modified shape of the well and window-supporting sleeve in providing a'circular well 13a surrounded by a circular collar 15a. A sleeve 18a is made circular in shape to fit snugly into well 13a and is provided with an annular flange 12a adapted to fit into a correspondingly shaped recess in the Wall of well 13a. The window 24a is of cone spending circular shape as shown in Fig. 5 particularly. In all other respects this embodiment is entirely similar in construction and employment as the previously described embodiment.

Fig. 6 illustrates still another embodiment in which the float 25 is constructed of a relatively rigid, naturally buoyant material, such as wood, expanded plastics, such as Styra-Foam, a product of Dow Chemical Company, and like, materials. A well 26 is provided in float 25 and has a transparent window 27 mounted in the bottom thereof. A collar 28 composed of resilient material such as foam rubber or the like, is mounted on the upper surface of float 25 surrounding the upper end of well for the purposes described in connection with the previous embodiments.

It will be understood that numerous other modifications and changes may be made in the details of the illustrative embodiments within the scope of the appended claims but without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. An underwater viewing device, comprising, a hollow inflatable casing constructed of flexible material, said casing being shaped when inflated to form a genas a guard or dam to prevent entry of water into well 4 erally flat elongated buoyant platform having upper and lower walls, a viewing well extending downwardly through said platform adjacent one end thereof, said well having a peripheral wall sealed at its ends to the upper and lower walls of said platform, a generally tubular window frame removably mounted in said well, said frame being constructed of relatively rigid material and shaped to fit snugly in said well, a transparent Window mounted in said frame and having its periphery sealed with said frame, laterally extending flange means on said frame, recesses in said peripheral wall adapted to receive said flange means to lock said frame in the well, and an upwardly extending collar member constructed of flexible resilient material mounted on the upper wall of said platform surrounding the upper end of said well and adapted to exclude from said well water flowing over the surface of said upper wall.

2. An underwater viewing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said collar member is of hollow construction and integral with said upper wall whereby to be inflatable to its upwardly extended position by inflation of said casing.

3. An underwater viewing device as defined in claim I, wherein said well is generally rectangular in shape and extends transversely of said platform.

4. An underwater viewing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said well is generally circular in shape.

5. An underwater viewing'device as'defined in claim 1, wherein said collar memberis of hollow construction and integral with said upper wall whereby to be inflatable to its upwardly extended position by inflation of said casing, the bore wall of said collar member formin the upper-end portion. of said well. i

1 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,075,649

France May 2, 

